CZECHOUT
Journal of The Czechoslovak Philatelic Society of Great Britain [Founded 1953]
December 1996______ISSN 0142-3525
Whole No. 85 Vol. 14 No.4 Editor: Colin W Spong FRPS.L Copyright 1996 CPSGB Technical Production: W A Page FRPS,L
Vol. 14/4 CONTENTS December 1996
Editorial 79 News and Notices 80 Book Review 83 The Tabbed Stamps of Czechoslovakia 84 11.10.38: Territorial Loss in Southern Slovakia 91 Bohemik/Bohemica/Britannica 93 Bohumil Heinz Again! 93 What, When, Where? 94 New Issues (Czech) 97 New Issues (Slovak) 101
EDITORIAL
With this issue we are sending details of our second publication for this year - Monograph No 11: The Sokols in Philately : Postal, Commemorative Postmarks and Postcards by Brian C. Day, it will make a marvellous Christmas present for the philatelic member of the family, and hopefully even convert others to the hobby!
As you can see from the list of contents we have another of Roy Dehn's articles which he wrote some years ago for a late lamented magazine. However this is still very topical, and perhaps one of our members would like to add details of the Bohemia & Moravia tabbed stamps? There is also a well researched paper on a cover from Ing Andrej Tekel's brother Ing Jozef, and two small items covering fiscals and essays. We hope you will all find something of interest. Finally, Lindy Knight has brought us up to date with 1996 New Issues.
With best wishes for Christmas and the New Year from the Editorial team.
Colin W Spong FRPS,L
79 80 Czechout 4/1996
NEWS & NOTICES
Meeting of Saturday 7 September 1996
The Chairman, Mr. Wm. Dawson, welcomed 12 members and one visitor to the meeting. Apologies had been received from six members. The Hon. Secretary, Mrs D Yvonne Gren gave details of a possible weekend congress at Tiverton, and those present showed a great deal of interest in such a venture. Further information would be announced in due course. Yvonne also mentioned that the 1945 Liberation Overprints Book by Juan Santasugenia Grau was now available via Alec Page. Brian Parker thanked all those who had attended the recent meeting held at Royston.
The Hon Secretary gave details of two prospective new members: Mr Derek Walker from Sunderland Mr David Jones from Chichester whose applications were readily endorsed and formally accepted. The Chairman then invited Mr Ron Hollis to give his display.
Sudeten land & Slovakia
The first part of Ron's display covered the Sudetenland area from 30.9.38 until 14.1.39, and he mentioned that he was including slightly different material to that shown earlier by John Whiteside in January. Ron explained that he was attempting to show what the postage rates were, a subject still disputed, and one in which he and John were continuing to exchange comments.
Ron started with a 6pf postcard depicting a map of Czechoslovakia, with Sudetenland outlined, sent to Berlin, via Vienna 14.01.1939, followed by a double postcard of the Munich meeting of 29.09.1938 at Berchtesgarten, covers from Ruckschein, Reichenberg and Maffersdorf, birthplace of Konrad Henlein. and various propaganda cards from towns within the territory. A mixture of commercial and philatelic covers with overprints on Czech and German stamps, covers or postcards from all the post offices within the Sudetenland using provisional cancellers, and ending with the Polish occupation of Teschen. The second display covered the usage of mail in Slovakia, beginning with a Bratislava slogan of 01.05.1939, the provisional issue of Czech stamps overprinted, followed by the definitive and commemorative issues, used on inland and foreign mail including registered, and airmail to destinations as far as the Saar, UK, Jugoslavia, Sweden, & USA. Special postmarks and dual language registration labels were noted.
In proposing the vote of thanks, Colin Spong said this was a display we had been looking forward to, and we were not disappointed, it contained a great deal of new and previously unseen material. Whilst there were still points of view that would continue to be debated within the Society concerning the various rates to different destinations or types of service provided by the postal authorities, this was a healthy sign, and Ron had put over his subject with enthusiasm and dedication.
George Firmage reminded members that the next Specialised Catalogue would be ready in October and that he would be willing to bring copies over from the Czech Republic. It was suggested that 10 copies of that and also 10 copies of the new Slovak Specialised Catalogue could be purchased for the Society.
There being no further business, the meeting closed at about 4.30pm. Annual General Meeting
■ Minute 7b: Robert Kingsley stated that he had been handling subscriptions for Merkur Revue. For 1997 the subscriptions have been raised excessively from £17 to around £22, a figure he will be querying. The Editor was asked to place a notice in the next Czechout for subscribers to get in touch with Robert. Bill Dawson reported that he is still pursuing getting an extra copy of Merkur \or the library, which should be part of the agreement. > Czechout 4/1996 81
Meeting of Saturday 9 November 1996
The new Chairman, Alec Page FRPSL, welcomed at least 27 members to the meeting - not everyone signed the attendance book. Apologies had been received from six members.
The Hon Membership Secretary, Yvonne Gren, gave details of a prospective new member: R J Silver, from Derby whose application was readily endorsed and formally accepted.
John Whiteside FRPSL, the Society Auctioneer, was assisted at the top table by Brian Parker, the retiring Hon Auction Secretary, and Robert Kingsley, the Hon Treasurer. They were joined by Reg Hounsell who kept records of the auction's progress on his laptop computer. Bob McLeod and Rex Dixon acted as 'runners'. There were few unsold lots among the 275 on offer. The reserves often counted for nothing as brisk bidding raised the knock-down prices. The book was observed to frequently outbid the room, though the two overseas members present did not leave empty handed.
The Chairman thanked the team and described it as a "Good job, well done as always!"
There being no further business, the meeting closed at about 5 pm.
Congratulations
We congratulate the following members:
Hans van Dooremalen on being awarded a Vermeil medal at CAPEX 96, Toronto, Canada for his entry of Brno postal history.
D. Yvonne Gren on being elected Honorary Life Member for valued & dedicated service to the Society, in particular as Honorary Secretary for 14 years, 1982-1996; Yvonne has also been elected Honorary Life Member of the Worthing Philatelic Society for service in various offices for 14 years, 1982-1996.
Vladimir Kralicek and Alec Page on being awarded a Silver Bronze medal for The 25th Anniversary of Czechoslovak Independence, [Monograph No 10]; Phillips B. Freer a Silver Bronze medal for For Beginners: The Philately of Czechoslovakiaand Mirko Vondra a Silver medal The Czechoslovak Specialist.. These Literature Awards were made at STAMPSHOW 96, in Orlando, Florida, USA.
Ing Tomáš Morovics on his marriage to Alena Landgrafová on 19 October 1996. Brian and Betty Day represented the Society at the wedding festivities.
Pat Rothnie MBE on being awarded the Association of British Philatelic Societies Congress Medal for 1996. Pat was presented with this medal at the 78th Philatelic Congress of Great Britain at Bristol in October.
Mirko Vondra retiring after 91/2 years as editor of The Czechoslovak Philatelist. He has been most successful in building on his predecessors work, and added his own talents to a worthwhile bi-monthly journal. We have enjoyed our mutual contacts across the pond, and wish him and Anne every happiness for the future, and welcome Lou Svoboda to the editorial chair.
Letters to the Editor
Richard Beith writes "there will be a meeting of the BaeF North East Group on 24 April 1997 at 7.0pm. Community Centre. Front Street, Framwellgate Moor, Durham. I will be showing Fascination of Flown Covers including Czech and Slovak Air Mails’. Contact: Eric Tawn, 0191 373 2135. > 82 Czechout 4/1996
Dorothy Martin writes "that the next Famous' North East Philatelic Weekend will take place in May 1997 at the Swallow Hotel, Gateshead upon Tyne [an Egon Ronay recommendation], amongst the speakers returning by popular request is stamp designer, Jennifer Toombs. (Previous speakers have included several CPSGB members") Tyneside is a place full of historical places to visit, and further details may be obtained by sending a SAE to Dorothy M. Martin, 46, Briardene Crescent, Kenton, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE3 4RY. Jeffrey Kalp of The Revenue Society writes that the recent FIP Congress held at the International Exhibition in Istanbul agreed to a motion "That the Section for Revenues at present within the Commission for Traditional Philately be made a full Commission for Revenues and be added as such under Article 4 of the Regulations for Philatelic Commissions of FIP". This motion was carried by 50 votes to 13. The first President of the Revenue Commission will be Juhani Olamo FRPSL of Helsinki, and the first Vice President of the Revenue Bureau is Richard Payne FRPSL, well known in British collecting circles as the Commissioner who has so often cared for our exhibits at Internationals around the world'. For details of The Revenue Society write to Tony Hall, 53A High Street, Whitwell, Hitchin, Hertfordshire, SG4 8AJ.
Publications
We have received the following publications which will be available from the Society Library. Items of interest to members are: ♦ Austria: No 116, Summer 1996. ► Berlin to Vienna Airmail via Dresden and Prague (Sawyer). ♦ The September 1996 [No 109] issue of Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft Tschechoslowakei, and Douglas Baxter has kindly translated the list of articles for us. [not including New Issues, Postal Stationery Catalogue, Airmail issues etc] ► The Commemorative Registration Labels of Czechoslovak Post from 1945 (Cermak); Philatelic Friendship across frontiers-INTERPHILA Sumava 96 (Hammer); Picasso pictorial themes on the stamps of the C.S.S.R. (Hoffmann). ♦ The Sep/Oct & Nov/Dec 96 issues of The Czechoslovak Philatelistsol.58, No.3, Whole No 537. by courtesy of Alec Page. The articles include:- ► Searching for Bill Powell-ppc US Army (Holoubek); German Censorship in Bratislava (Miskvich); Carpatho-Ukraine in the reflection of History Pt 2 (Rauch); Railroad Post Office Košice-Halmeu No 992 (Vostatek); Legiobanks Seal (Garancovsky); Progress of German Wehrmacht on Red Cross issues (Vostatek). ► The Olomouc-Prague Railway Centenary (Page); Trojan Catalogue Translations (Garancovsky); The Czechoslovak Music Scene: František Ondříček [1859-1922] (van Zenten); The Emma Destinn Miniature Sheet (Hutyra); Some Observations on Stamps of the Protectorate Bohemia & Moravia (Vostatek). ♦ The 3/96, 4/96 and 5/96 issues of Merkur Revue, through the kindness of Alec Page, amongst the contents are the following articles. ► 3/96: Hradčany 5h bar types (Škaloud); Pozořice Old Post Office (Žampach, Ustohal & Kopecký); Forgery of 1919 Issue (Karásek); Retouch of SO 1920-TGM 500h (Karásek); Forged air letter & cancellation (Karásek); Dove 25h (Kašpar); Chainbreaker 185h (Pospíšil); Prussian Occupation of Brno (van Dooremalen); Interview with Ernst Gorge (Karásek).- ► 4/96: Hradčany 15h bar types (Škaloud); Retouch Chainbreaker 185h (Pospíšil); Buffalo Bill in Moravia (Ustohal); Austrian stamps overprinted RAITZ (Štrof); City Post of Brno (van Dooremalen); Forgeries of Hradčany se-tenant types (Karásek). ► 5/96: Winning Design of S.Ethelbert stamp (Fritz); Hradčany types (Škaloud); Dove types (Žampach); 1946-7 Airmail issue types (Zdeněk); Forgeries (Karásek); An airmail of the Siberian Legion? (Verner). > Czechout 4/1996 83
♦ The 5/96 [May] & 6/96 [June] issues of Slovenská Filatelia and Michael Chant has kindly translated the list of articles for us. [not including New Issues, Telephone cards, Meter marks, Cancellations and Registration labels etc]
► 5/96: A record of the discussions between the Slovak Union of Philatelists [ZSF] & the Federation of Hungarian Philatelists [MABÉOSZ]; The General regulations of the International Federation of Philatelists [FIP] and young people (Mička); Anniversary of the '1st stamps' of the Slovak Republic [1921] (Šablatúra); The 1st Exhibition - OLYMPFILA Bratislava 13-27 April 1996 (Zrubec); The 3rd of May in Blatnici (Bencová).
► 6/96: Celebration of the Life & Work of Františka Horniaka (Soukup); Forgery of 10KŠ 1939 Overprint (Šablatúra); The most attractive commemorative & postal cancellations of 1995 (Soukup); International Philatelic Exhibition 'Dunajfila 95' Bratislava (Správa); Commemorative Stationery What next? (Olah); Thoughts concerning a cover (Pavlačka).
BOOK REVIEW
Deutsches Reich - Postgebuhrenkataiog 1923 bis 1945 (Germany-Catalogue of Postage Rates 1923 to 1945) by Reiner E. Lutgens. Subtitle: Die Gebůhren und Bestimmungen der Deutschen Reichpost im Post und Telegraphenbetriab vom 1.12.1923 bis zum 8.5.1945 (The Rates and Regulations of the German Reichpost in Postal and Telegraph Operations from 1.12.23 to 8.5.1945). 236 pages A5 soft-bound, published by the author, Langenhagen and Hamburg 1986.
This volume covers the first two parts of what will be a multi-volume series, and covers the Inland service in Part 1 and the Official service (Dienstpost) in Part 2. A later volume still awaited will cover foreign services.
The author has had access to a complete run of the official gazettes (Amtsblátte) issued by the Reichpost for the period covered, which is from the end of the high inflation to the end of World War II. This has enabled him to compile an extremely comprehensive listing of the postal and telegraph services available, their tariffs, and associated regulations such as weight limits, allowable combinations of services, and required markings on mail (e.g. “Eigenhándig" for personal delivery). The layout is concise, with most of it readily intelligible to a reader without German, though access to a German dictionary would be required in order to find the relevant section.
The listing is divided into a some hundreds of numbered clauses, each covering a single aspect of service. A contents list together with an index allows the reader to readily locate the relevant clauses. The clause numbers are the basis of the catalogue numbers assigned to every rate: thus 191/4a is the airmail supplement for letters (191) over 100 gms (/4) from 23.04.24 to 31.03.27 (a). There are a large number of black-and-white illustrations of postal items, each with a description and the catalogue numbers of the rates involved.
Although the catalogue does not cover Bohemia and Moravia explicitly, from 1.10.40 Prague aligned most of its rates and services to those of the Reichpost, using the conversion factor of 1 crown = 10 pfennigs. For example, as of that date the Poste Restante fee was abolished, the insurance and handling fees for value letters were aligned, and the small packet service was introduced. Rates from the Protectorate to Germany proper were aligned to the German rates at a much earlier date, from 17.7.39, but there are exceptions whenever this would have resulted in an increase from the previous Czech rates; full alignment waited until 1.10.40. [This information on Protectorate rates comes from the Michel Brief-Katalog Deutschland].
I have been using this catalogue as my bible for almost ten years now and it has never yet let me down. I can most thoroughly recommend it. Available in the UK from John Rawlings, of the Germany & Colonies Philatelic Society, at £14.00 plus postage: 58 Crantock Road, Catford, London SE6 2QP. Otherwise available from the author in Germany: contact Rex Dixon for his address.
Rex Dixon 84 Czechout 4/1996
THE TABBED STAMPS OF CZECHOSLOVAKIA
Stamps/Thematic Roy Dehn, FRPSL
This article originally appeared in the Philatelic Magazine in November 1975.
In a report on market movements in a contemporary, (Stamp Collecting, 3rd April 75, p.245) 'Watchman' expressed surprise that Gibbons' Europe catalogue did not yet record the decorated tabs which are to be found attached to some Czech issues and advised his readers not to separate them from the stamps since, if still attached, they justified a premium. Whatever the market value of these stamp-tab pairs may be, they do provide a very interesting and attractive chapter in a collection.
I use the word 'chapter1 deliberately, because I think we sometimes forget that friends who look at our collections need for full enjoyment the same kind of aids to mind and eye that the reader of a book expects and gets, aids such as paragraphing, subheading, parentheses. We know that long sets all of the same design can be dull, that in a collection largely devoted to commemoratives a page of definitives can provide a stimulating change, and that even in a specialised assembly largely composed of individual stamps the occasional cover reduces the danger of monotony.
Within the context of a general Czech collection the issues with tabs when gathered together provide a pleasant change of emphasis. On their own, they provide a small scale specialisation for someone who is interested in the problems of minuscule engraving and ways of presenting it attractively on the album page. The material is available, though patience and some searching may be necessary, and since the field is limited, it is possible to achieve a high degree of completion, provided that the target does not include getting complex multiples on cover and other curiosities.
The Czechoslovakian Post Office only issued stamps with decorated tabs during two short periods, 1937-8 and 1946-9. Arranging stamps on a sheet in such a way that there are a number of unprinted spaces is clearly wasteful, so we must assume that there were no easy alternatives to the use of the Stickney rotary engraving press and the sheets of paper size 43.8cm x 27.2cm which were available. These sheets accommodated small size stamps very well. For example the 1935-6 portrait series [SG. 345-8] were laid out in sheets of 200 (20 x 10). But when the larger stamp for President Masaryk's 85th birthday had to be accommodated, 112 stamps would have fitted into the sheet [SG. 337-8; 1st March 1935], For ease of accounting and stocktaking it is normal in countries with a decimal currency to issue in round tens, that is 50s, 100s, 200s. Accordingly, 12 fields had to be left blank. The top row contained 16 stamps. It was followed by six rows each containing 14 stamps and two blank spaces. The blank spaces were at the sides of the sheets.
Leaving blank spaces is usually considered bad practice for two reasons. It provides anyone wishing to counterfeit the stamps with a correctly perforated piece of stamp paper of exactly the right dimensions to take a forged impression. Where stamps are being printed by letterpress, blank spaces can cause distortion or uneven wear of the printing block. Since the stamps being considered here are all printed recess, the second reason does not concern us. It was therefore probably for the first reason, that of security, combined with the wish to show off the skill of local engravers which resulted in the decision to print a design on the blank fields. So, in the clear technical terminology of Michel's catalogue, the empty field ILeerfeld') became the decorated field [Zierfeld]. The first sheets to be treated in this way were those for the commemorative portrait of J.E.Purkyné issued on 2nd September, 1937 [SG.371-2.]
All the stamps with which we are concerned were printed recess and line perforated ^2V^. The line perforation does not go right through to the edge in the top and bottom margins of the sheets. The gum shows the vertical ribbing at approximately 5mm intervals, characteristic of Czechoslovakian stamps of this period. The design of the stamps was usually entrusted to one hand and their engraving to another. Pre-war, all the engraving of these issues was the work of Bohumil Heinz (b.1894); after the war it was usually done by Jindřich Schmidt (b.1897). Bohemia has had a long tradition of fine engravers. British collectors will particularly recall the work of Václav Hollar (1607-77) whom the Earl of Arundel brought over to work in England (1637). > Czechout 4/1996 85 a
86 Czechout 4/1996 Czechout 4/1996 87
It is hoped that the schedule printed on pages 89-90 will provide the collector with most of the information necessary for an attractive and informative display. It provides as reference the Stanley Gibbons numbers and those of Michel as well, since this (in 1975) is the only generally available catalogue which lists the tabs, though it only illustrates those attached to one of the series. In the columns which give a brief description of the design of the stamps and of the tabs, a translation is given of the wording which appears. The last column suggests categories in which the stamps might be arranged. These are discussed later. Contemporaneously with two of the issues, a miniature sheet was also sold. SG. MS 381a 2K+3K, black is associated with the Masaryk child welfare issue of 7th March, 1938, and SG. MS 468a 4K+6K with the victory issue of 5th May, 1948, depicting St. George and the dragon. There are two versions of this sheet; in one the distance between the V of KVĚTEN and the outer frame line of the stamp design is 7 1/4mm, in the other it is 9 1/4mm. The second type is the least common. The different forms in which the stamps and tabs are available provide the collector with an excellent exercise in achieving interesting variety in display with stamps which are all of identical proportions. For the majority of the stamps, examples can be found with the tab to the left, to the right, and below. This last possibility is only found in the top right and left corners of the sheet and applies to the first and last stamp of the top row. These two stamps, however are probably best presented as part of a group of four subjects, three stamps and one tab. Additional variety can be provided by showing single examples without tabs or, say, occasional blocks of four without tabs. Clearly the several variations mentioned can be shown unused, used, or both, and all, theoretically can be shown on cover. Two of the designs, it will be recalled, appear as miniature sheets. Where the stamps are landscape shape rather than portrait, the most usual position of the tab will be above or below the stamp and only in the corner block will there be found a stamp with the tab on the side. The stamps with landscape proportions are: SG. 495 (Lidice 2.40K), SG. 500-501 (Stefan Moyses), SG. 525-6 (39th Anniversary of the Republic), SG. 531 (Anniversary of Czechoslovak-Soviet Agreement). SG. 548-9 (Ninth Meeting of the Czechoslovak Communist Party).
So far, the stamps have been considered simply as designs or printed areas, to be arranged in an attractive pattern; many of them, however, also recall an historical occasion or person or make a point of propaganda. The collector may prefer to ignore the date order of their issue and group them according to theme. Possible grouping has been indicated in the final column of the schedule on pages 89 and 90.
The largest group is historical and the earliest reference is to St. Adalbert, Bishop of Prague [SG.490-2]. The stamps marked the 950th anniversary of his death on 23rd April, 997, when he was struck down near Danzig by a pagan priest whilst he was on a mission to convert the Prussians to Christianity. His name was Svatý Vojtěch and he belonged to the princely Slavnikovci family of Bohemia. He was educated in the Moritzkloster at Magdeburg from the head of which, Bishop Adalbert, he took his clerical name. He became Bishop of Prague in 983 and is a Bohemian saint, despite the fact that his strictness made him so unpopular there that he left his bishopric after five years to preach in Hungary and later Prussia, and only returned to Prague occasionally when requested to do so by his ecclesiastical superiors. His body was brought back for burial in Prague cathedral.
Next in time comes the series [SG. 510-13] dedicated to the foundation of Prague University by the Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV who was also Charles I of Bohemia. At the date of its foundation (1348) the university was the only one in central Europe. The reign of Charles was a golden age and the king of Bohemia was accepted as the senior of the lay electors of the Emperor.
1848 was a dramatic year of revolutionary nationalism in Europe and several of the personalities who played a part appear among the tabbed stamps. Karel Havlíček [1821-1856, SG.477] took the pseudonym Borovský from the village of his birth Borová near Chotéboř. He thought of the ingenious device of using the Irish Question as a means of discussing politics in Bohemia without attracting censorship. During the temporary liberalisation of the regime he founded the influential journal Národní Noviny, but it was soon stopped by the authorities and its editor exiled. František Palacký (1798-1876) was born in Moravia and had a knowledge of the Slovaks not shared by many Czechs. His History of Bohemia originally published in German (1836-7) and later in Czech [1848-76] helped recreate a sense of nationality. In his political activities he was joined by his son-in-law Franz Ladislaus Rieger > 88 Czechout 4/1996
(1818-1903). They represented what came to be called the Old Czech party and they are depicted together on SG.519-20 issued for the centenary of the Constituent Assembly at Krems which marked the failure of perhaps the last chance to set up a decentralised federal government in the Austrian Empire.
The centenary of the Slovakian national rising of 1848 against Hungary, an attempt to get from Hungary the same concessions as Hungary was trying to get from Austria, is recorded in three stamps (SG 521-3) with portraits of three Slovak poets. M.J. Hurban [1817-1888], L. Štúr [1815-1856], and M.M. Hodža [1811-1870] all of whom had been prominent in the Pan-Slav meeting in Prague in 1848 and all dedicated to the revival of the Slovak language on the basis of Middle Slovak. Štúr, the most prominent of the three, is known for his book of songs and ballardsSpievy a piesne [1853] but it is said that his personality was more powerful than his poetry. Another champion of the Slovak language was Bishop Stefan Moyses [1797-1869] the son of a Slovak mother and the first such to be consecrated a bishop. His resistance to Magyar pressure is commemorated on SG. 500-1.
Jan Evangelista Purkyně [1787-1869] was a physiologist of distinction known in particular for his study of the eye. He established his reputation first in Breslau and later came to teach at the University of Prague [SG. 371-2]. Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk [1850-1937] is variously commemorated on SG. 374, 380-1, 498-9. He was originally a philosopher and sociologist, and then leader of the Czech Progressive Party. At the outbreak of the first world war he left Czechoslovakia for England and later Russia, where he organised an army of Slav subjects of the Central Powers. On the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire he was elected president of the Czechoslovak Republic.
Events, as well as people, are commemorated. SG. 382-4 celebrate the twentieth anniversary of battles fought by Czechoslovak soldiers in Russia, France and Italy. The allies were at first hesitant to accept the aid of these troops, but on 19th December 1917, France agreed to the formation of an independent Czechoslovakian army on French soil and in 1918, this army was engaged in the battles at Vouzier, etc., listed on the tab of one of the stamps in the series. The Italians hesitated longer before accepting the formation of a Czechoslovakian Legion; they had themselves a Slav problem on their NE frontier. But in April, 1918, they agreed, being glad of help after the reverse at Caporetto. A tab records the engagements of the Italian Legion. The remaining tab recalls the engagement fought by the Czech Legion in Russia against the Bolsheviks early in 1918 at Bachmač which lies between Kiev and Kursk.
Masaryk later estimated that 128,000 Czechoslovakian troops fought on the allied side; 92,000 in Russia, 12,000 in France and 24,000 in Italy. Events arising out of the second world war recorded on the tabs are the destruction of Lidice and its population on 6th June 1942 [SG. 493-5], as a reprisal for the assassination of the Nazi Reichsprotector of Bohemia and Moravia, the May rising and liberation of Czechoslovakia by the advancing Russian troops [SG. 467-8], and the Czechoslovak-Soviet Agreement [SG 531]. So much for the historical section. In the next section could be assembled the stamps providing publicity for Sokol meetings. Sokol means hawk or falcon, and it was the name given to a gymnastic organisation which was famous for its massed gymnastic displays. Its aim was to provide a disciplined group, healthy and of high moral, dedicated to the advancement of the Slav peoples. The organisation was founded in 1863 by Dr Miroslav Tyrš and Jindřich Fiigner [1822-1865, SG. 385-7], The first meeting was held in Prague in 1882. Later leaders in the movement were Dr Vaniček [1862-1934, SG. 515 and 18] and Dr J. Scheiner [1861-1932, SG. 516-7], The tenth Sokol winter games provided the subject of SG. 378-9, which gave prominence to the symbol of the movement, the hawk, and the eleventh meeting was the subject of SG. 507-9. The tab on these last three includes the motto of the organisation. Ni tisk. ni slávu - Not for gain, not for glory.
A section comprising two series is that dedicated to child welfare, These stamps were sold with a charity premium of 50h for the pre-war set and 1K for the post-war. The first set featured Masaryk and has already been mentioned [SG. 380-1]; the second [SG. 532-4] shows pictures of children on the stamps and their toys on the tabs. It is of particular interest because, although there is one designer for the series, each of the three stamps is engraved by a different hand. The engraver is also responsible for the design of the tabs. So comparison of styles can be made. > Czechout 4/1996 89
S.G. Michel Values Issued With Designer Engraver Design Design Cate Nos Nos drawn of stamp of tab gory
371-2 377-8 50h, 1K 2.ÍX.37 31.xii.37 O.Španiela B.Heinz Portrait of J.E. Name,dates linden H Purkyně leaves, snake and staff over olive branch
374 380 2K 20.ix.37 30.xi.37 Photograph B.Heinz Portrait of T.G. Name, Zasloužil se H Masaryk. National stát. (He was worthy mourning. of his country)
378-9 387-8 50h, 1K 25.Í.38 30.xi.39 C. Bouda B.Heinz Hawk on mountain Cross skis and fir PS crag branch. Zimné sletové h r y ... Vysoké Tatry©
380-1 389-90 50h+ 7.iii.38 30.xi.39 Photograph B.Heinz Masaryk with T.G.M. in wreath CW 50h a child. 'Měj ústu with date below. 1K+50h k duši ditěte ®
382 4 392-4 50h 11.iii.38 30.xi.39 J.Viček B.Heinz Soldiers with Bachmač, dates, H bayonets stacked rifles 50h 21.V.38 30.xi.39 Soldiers attacking Steel helmet, dates, actions of Czech Legion in France 50h 21.V.38 30.xi.39 Alpine soldier Cap of alpine on guard soldier. Actions of Czech Legion in Italy.
385-7 395-7 50h,1K, 18.vi.38 30.xi.39 Wood B.Heinz Portrait of Hawk above PS 2K Engraving J.Fugner Roman ’X' M.Svabinský Všesokolský slet v Praze (United Sokol Meeting in Prague)
467-8 490-1 2.40 + 5.V.46 29.ii.48 J. Mánes J.Schmidt Mounted St. Linden leaves H 2.60K George and ribbon 'Pravda 4 + 6K dragon vítězí (Truth prevails, dates and Kvéten (May)
477 501 1.20K 5.vii.46 29.ii.48 Daguerro J.Schmidt Portrait of House, name, H -type K.H. Borovsky olive branches and dates
487-9 512-14 1.20K, 1.Í.47 31.xii.48 S.Horák J.Schmidt Flag and symbols Horn, medallion P 2.40K.4K of the two year Dva roky práce dva plan (1947-48) stupně kblahpbytu. (Two years work - two steps to prosperity).
490-2 515-17 1.60K, 23.iv.48 31.xii.48 K.Dvořák J.Schmidt Portrait of Bishop ‘V‘ and linden H 2.40K.5K Tab of Prague, date leaves above J.Švengsbír & family name name and dates
493-5 518-20 1.20K, 10.vi.47 31.xii.48 K.Svolinský J.Schmidt Mourning woman Smudge over H 1.60K Lidice and dates 2.40K J. Kapličky Kneeling woman Lidice, dates and fir branch
498 9 523 4 1.20K 31.ix.47 14.xii.48 K.Svolinský J.Schmidt Portrait of Linden branch, H Masaryk Věrni zůstaneme. We remain faithful
500 01 525 6 120K 24.X.47 31.xii.48 K.Svolinský J.Schmidt Portrait of Štefan Name and spray H 4K Tab Moyses and dates of flowers J.Švengsbír > 90 Czechout 4/1996
S.G. Michel Values Issued With Designer Engraver Design Design Cate Nos Nos drawn of stamp of tab gory
507 9 532 4 1.50K 7.iii.47 31.xii.48 M.Švabinský J.Schmidt Figures with Spray of flowers PS 3K, 5K Prague Castle in with hawk clasp. background Ni zisk ni slávu (Not for gain not for glory)
510-13 535-8 1.50K 7.ÍV.48 31.xii.48 K.Svolinský J.Švengsbír Portrait of Universitas Carolina H 5K, Charles IV & date. Pragensis & dates 2K ,3K Charles and Alma Mater St.Wencelas Carolina Pragensis and date and dates
515-18 540-3 1K.3K, 10.vi.48 31.xii.48 Švabinský J.Schmidt Portrait of Sunflower, name H J.Vaniček and dates 1.50K, 2K. Tab L.Jirka Portrait of Sunflower, name J.Scheiner and dates
519-29 544-5 1.50K 20.vi.48 31.xii.48 Švabinský J.Schmidt Portraits of Wreath of corn H 3K F.Palacký and round z Lidu, F.L.Rieger Věskerá moc ve Kroměřižsky snem státvychasí z Constituent lidu. (The whole Assembly at strength in the state Krems derives from Dates the people)
521-3 546-8 1.50K 27.viii. 31.xii.48 K.Svolinský J.Švengsbír Portrait of Name and H 48 M.J.Hurban olive branch 3K L.Jirka Portrait of Name and L.Stúr olive branch 5K J.Mráček Portrait of Name and M.M.Hodža olive branch
525-6 550-1 1.50k 28.x.48 31.vi.49 J.Sivko K.Švengsbír Worker and Linden leaves P family and dates
530 555 20K 23.xi.48 18.vi.53 Photo J.Schmidt Portrait of Monogram and (K.Hájek) K.G.Gottwald olive branch
531 557 3K 11.xii.48 31.xii.49 B.Němec J.Schmidt Czech & Flags. Páté výroči H Soviet workers ceskosloven sko clasp hands sovětské smiouvy (Fifth anniversary of Cz-Soviet agreement)
532-4 559 61 1.50+1K 18.xii.48 30.ix.49 Svolinský L.Jirka Drawings of Toy horse CW 2K+1K J.Mráček children Rose 3K+1K J.Švengsbír Toy bird
535-6 562-3 1.50K 21.xii.49 31.xii.49 From J.Schmidt Portrait of Lenin Torch in front of P 5K Russian stylised rising sun original
538 565 10K 25.ii.49 31.xii.49 (See S.G. J. Schmidt Portrait of Unor (February) P 530) Gottwald and dates
548-50 575-7 1.50K 24.V.49 31.xii.49 V, Polášek J.Švengsbír Harvester and girl reaper 3K V.Kovářík J.Švengsbír Flag, manual and '5' hammer and P intellectual worker sickle on cog 5K J.Korik J.Mráček Industrial worker over linden branch Tabs, J.Švengsbír
H = Historical PS = Publicity for Sokol CW = Child Welfare P - Political © Have concern for the soul of a child © Winter Games meeting High Tatra > . Czechout 4/1996 91
The remaining stamps in the group are largely political in subject and notes on them are probably unnecessary. Klement Gottwald [1896-1953, SG. 530 and 538] succeeded Beneš as president. The pair of stamps [SG. 525-6] showing a worker and his family were issued for the 30th anniversary of the founding of the Republic and the series SG. 548-50 for the 9th meeting of the communist party of Czechoslovakia.
The tabbed stamps discussed form a consistent group, all belonging to one period, broken by the war, and all are of the same size. Collectors who are interested in the engraved tabs may like to be reminded of other similar material. The gutter between the panes of many Czechoslovakian stamps was usually of the same area as a stamp. Gutter pairs of, in particular, some kind of the small size stamps showing landscapes are well known and sometimes very much sought after (in particular the Church at Nitra pair SG. 325-6). These gutters were usually left blank but in the issue for the provincial exhibition at Pilsen [24th June 1938, SG. 388] the gutter is engraved with a cog-wheel surrounding a drawing of hops and ears of wheat and for the exhibition at Košíce [15th July 1938, SG. 389] with a bunch of grapes. Some of the air issues of 1946-7 also have engraved tabs. These show a plane flying over a terrestrial globe. The top of the globe is capped with a cloud. The tabbed stamps are (12th June 1946) SG. 468b. 24K First Prague-New York flight (4th July, 1946-7) SG. 472 10K. SG. 474-6 12K, 24K and 50K. Some of the stamps issued by the Nazi Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia also had engraved tabs.
Documentary Source: The SG numbers in the original text were taken from an earlier catalogue. Therefore we have amended these as listed in the Stanley Gibbons Stamp Catalogue Part 5, Czechoslovakia & Poland, 5th Edition, 1994. The schedule shows the original SG references.
11.10.1938: TERRITORIAL LOSS IN SOUTHERN SLOVAKIA
Slovakia Ing Jozef Tekel CSc. Translated by Robert Kingsley
We thank Ing Jozef Tekel for permission to publish this paper which originally appeared in FILA TEL IE 3/1994, and Bob Kingsley for translating this for us.
t censor mark in red
I have in front of me a registered cover sent from Šáha Post Office on 24th October 1938. Has this cover have any significience for collectors of Slovak postal history? Let us try and find an answer to > 92 Czechout 4/1996
that question, and examine a number of facts. The registered cover was franked on 24.10.38 with Hungarian stamps which are cancelled by the date stamp of the Hungarian postal authorities, also with a Hungarian Registration label and is addressed to Field Post Office 23 [Polni Pošta 23] in Czechoslovakia. It has the characteristics of a so-called "special letter", that being one addressed overseas sent to a member of the Czechoslovak Army on Active Service (Mobilisation, Autumn 1938). The question is - how did Šáha become Hungarian before the arbitration [Vienna, 2nd November 1938]?
As a result of the four power Munich agreement of 29/30th September 1938, Czechoslovakia lost her Sudetenland border territory. However, Munich did not give Admiral Horthy's Hungarian government its anticipated territorial gains. So Hungary began to exert pressure on Czechoslovakia [from 6 th October 1938] to effect immediate revision of the southern border of Slovakia, a border which defeated Hungary recognised in the Peace Treaty of Trianon, 4th June 1920. We have to consider the attitude of the Hungarian government towards Slovakia in the years 1938/39. It made a request in a note on 3rd October 1938 for Czechoslovakia, as a gesture of good will to fulfill four conditions. Amongst these were a request for demobilisation, the release of Hungarian nationals from the Czechoslovak Army and the return of two-three border towns to Hungary.
Discussions between the two governments began on the evening of 9th October 1938 at Komarom. On the following day the Czechoslovak government named a delegation to negotiate with Hungary but reserving its right for a final decision. The Chairman of the delegation was Dr J. Tisa, Chairman of the Slovak autonomous government, and the other members were F. Ďurčanský, General R. Viest, I. Kmo and I. Párkány. The talks held on 10-12th October were unsuccessful and the Hungarian government decided that it would take its territorial demands against Czechoslovakia to the signatories of the Munich Agreement.
Whilst the talks were going on, Czecho-Slovakia returned to Hungary, on 11th October, two border towns, Šáha and Nové Mesto. This is reflected on the postal cancellations. The Hungarian postal authorities sent to the Post Office at Šána a special cancellation "AZ ELSO VISSZATERT MAGYAR VAROS/IPOLYSAG". These cancellations were in six types and can be identified by the varying typeface. It is significent, and surely not coincidental, that the Hungarian postal authorities had the IPOLYSAG' cancellation prepared for the Šáha Post Office already on 8th October, that is before the negotiations began!
Let us also note that Field Post Office 23 was allocated in the spring of 1938 to the 11th Division (under the command of Brigadier General F. Kukačka). This division was part of the 3rd Army [under the command of General J. Votruba, from 4.10. General L. Prchala.] The Division's task was the defence of Central Slovakia. Now, let us return to the cover. The contents of the registered letter which were preserved throw further light on events in the autumn of 1938. I quote from that letter a significant sentance: “ Dear Feri, you must definitely ask for a release, saying that you are a foreign national and therefore entitled to be released." This proves that there were Hungarian soldiers serving in the 11th Division, whose home town became part of Hungary as a result of the enforced border revision. This letter sent from abroad to the Field Post Office 23 ['special letter'] was, of course intercepted by the Censor. The red handstamp confirms this fact, but where did the Army Censor of the 3rd Army actually operate? The location of Polní Pošta 23 in Vrútky, and the direct connection to the Central Field Post Office [Base Collection Office] in Přerov, and the fact that Vrútky is about 40km from Kremnice leads one to the conclusion that the Censor must have operated from Vrútky. We can summarise from our study of this cover as follows: a] There exists a registered letter sent from abroad addressed to a Polní Pošta. b] A category of so-called Special Letters' was introduced in the 2nd or 3rd week of October 1938. c] The headquarters of the military censor of the 3rd army was based in Vrútky. The area of its activity was restricted to the territory of Slovakia and Carpatho-Ukraine. Czechout 4/1996 93
"BQHEMIK/BOHEMICA/BRITANNICA"
Money Order -Dr Miroslav Vostatek- Translated by Robert Kingsley
In the Czech Republic there is a group of collectors who collect BOHEMIK'. This no doubt includes abroad, as well as in the Czech Republic postal stationery which can be classed as "Britannica" One of these is shown below. It is a remittance card from the year 1932, showing a payment of 183.90KČ to "Anglo-Czechoslovak" in Hradec Králové.
John Whiteside comments: This is a stub (remitter's copy) of a cheque or money order of the Postal Giro service - Czech šekov, German [Postjscheck. As far as I know this was a division of the Post Office Savings Bank. You will note that the account to which it had to be paid into is printed on the stub - the bank at Hradec Králové. This is not uncommon. I think firms with Giro accounts sent out, with their invoice, a Giro cheque with their details printed on it. The customer took this to the post office, paid the money in at the counter and received the stub as proof of payment cancelled by the post office datestamp. On this one, you will see that the payer's name. Josef Guth, has also been added at the top. Both the customer and the bank requesting the payment were in Hradec Králové. The point of this example seems to be that it is "Britannica" because of the name of the bank.
BOHUMIL HEINZ AGAIN I
The Heinz essay illustrated on page 71 of the September 1996 Czechout has prompted our Swedish member, Gosta Hedbom to provide a copy of a later development of the essay. This includes the Country name and a value of 5 Kc: as illustrated 94 Czechout 4/1996
■WHAT?. WHEN?. WHERE?* - Members' Queries -
Another selection, together with some answers, for which we are sure our inquirers will be grateful; the answers first.
Re Alec Page's query in Czechout 3/96 we have received two interesting replies towards an answer - but why maritime?.
From: John Whiteside & Rex Dixon: The cover is postmarked Murmansk.
From: Richard Beith: In the American Air Mail Society Catalogue Vol.4. Trans-Oceanic Record Flight, there is the following item.
#1182 1933. July 15. - Attempted Ocean Flight, New York to Lithuania. Two Lithuanians, Captains Stefan Darius and Stanley Girenas, attempted a flight from New York to Kaunas, Lithuania, in their plane 'Lithuanica'. After successfully crossing the ocean, the fliers lost their lives when their plane was wrecked at Soldin, Germany, about 400 miles short of their goal. Some covers bear Lithuanian stamps specially overprinted for this flight, and cachets in violet or black. Covers are cancelled Brooklyn, N.Y., July 15th, 'Lithuanica,' are signed by the pilots and are backstamped Kaunas, July 18, 1933. A few covers have an error, "35' in the backstamp year date instead of '33'.
We still have a number of queries awaiting information - perhaps one of our members who has not contributed so far may have answer - we look forward to hearing from you.. Czechout 1/94 - Bob Bradford: 60/80 Doplatne Label ? forgery ?. Czechout 4/94 - Tom Morovics: Cz Army p.c Czechout 2/95 - Lewis Giles: Airmail cover; Czechout 3/96 - Alec Swain: French pc Charleville-Camp Agde Bob Hill: Perf/lmperf stamps
Two new queries
From Robert Hill: I have just re-discovered an item I bought in a stamp shop on Obchodná, Bratislava in 1995. I was told it was to pay for membership of the Czechoslovak-Soviet Union Friendship Society and it was stuck on a membership card. Is there any publication known to members that covers these stamps or anyone who has a membrship card I could have a photocopy of?
Perforation 10 Vi Colour Lime Green Paper White Gum Glazed ? Stamp size I 8 V2 x I 8 V2 mm Value 15Kcs
From Graham Slater: "Mute Postmarks' I have a number of examples of Czech stamps all marked with “dumb cancels" that came originally from a Continental collection - 99% Hradčany, some Dove & Chainbreaker issues, together with SG. 227, 228, 298, 300, 319, 348, 357, 360. A correspondent who collects Austria sent me a photocopy from a reference work [not identified] mentioning that ’dumb cancels' were used predominantly by the Vienna Post Offices - he has seen examples up to 1934. This explains fairly satisfactorily the circular cancels with W I, W 2, and WIEN etc, but I note that none of my cancels on my specimens appear in that exact form. The Wl ones usually have a small lower > Czechout 4/1996 95
case figure below and some san serif. As a side note his photocopies show three concentric circles and a u.c. B attributed to Brunn.
The stated use of these mute postmarks was to cancel unfranked or inadequately franked mail, and the text states below that they may have been used at transit Post Offices. I cannot see any reference to these marks in any of my Czech reference books, and Alan Knight could not find anything in the Library for me. If indeed the Vienna Post Office had such handstamps. then why are there also stamps of the first few issues with normal Vienna postmarks? I would like to know of other examples or a printed references to either form of cancellation on Czech stamps.
Extract from Reference Work: X - STEMPEL : X Postmarks (III. 662-689):
"Mute postmarks" are those which do not contain the name of the place from which they originate. During the years 1867-1900 they were used without exception as arrival cancellations, possibly also at transit Post Offices if the despatch Post Office had failed to cancel stamps or had done so insufficiently. The intention being, in the latter case, to prevent a fraudulent second use of the same stamp.
The majority of these postmarks were in use at Vienna Post Offices. The postmarks of Illustration. 664-669 and 676-681 [the latter form a separate group] are those of Vienna Central Post Office; the postmarks of the illustrations 670-675 were in use at Vienna Post Offices No's. 86, 37, 62, 110, 74 and 75. Those of Illustrations 662 and 663 were used at Brunn and Gčrz respectively.
The markings reproduced as Illustrations 682-689 must, for the time being, be considered as of unknown origin; only when several examples on cover have come to light will it be possible to be certain of their origin.
CG2 663 G64 665 \
96 Czechout 4/1996 Czechout 4/1996 97
New Issues CZECH REPUBLIC Lindy Knight
The Ministry of Economy announces the following new issues from July 1996. All issues printed by Post Printing House Prague unless otherwise stated.
11.9.1996 E ANNIVERSARY OF UNICEF
Designer: Karel Franta Engraver: Bohumil šneider
Printing: Rotary recess with photogravure in brown, dark blue, light blue, red and yellow. Sheets of 50 at 3KČ each. Stamp size 40x23mm.
Design: Background outline of a butterfly decorated with flowers and a bird. In the foreground a young boy plays a flageolet. The UNICEF symbol is also shown with dates 1946-96.
FDC printed recess from flat plates with a commemorative Praha cancel of two flowers and UNICEF initials. The cachet in brown is of a young girl and a cat holding a rose.
25.9.1996 THE HORSES OF KLADRUBY
Designer: Peter OrieSek Engraver: Miloš Ondráček
Printing: Rotary recess with photogravure in dark blue, red, ochre and grey. Sheets of 50 in se-tenant columns at 3Kčs each. Stamp size 23x40mm.
D esign:
a) Black Kladruby horse on ochre background
b) White Kladruby horse on blue/grey background.
The Kladruby horse has been bred in the region as a coach horse since 1579. It has a sloping head and claims to be the world's strongest mixed- breed horse.
2 FDC: printed from flat plates with commemorative Kladruby cancellation
a) cachet in brown of a rearing horse, with black horse cancellation and 2 x 3KČ black Kladruby horse stamps
b) cachet in brown of a rearing horse with white horse cancellation and 2 x 3Kčs white Kladruby horse stamps.
5 October 1996 E. NEMES BAROQUE CHAIR Joint Czech-Slovak and Swedish Issue
N.B. This is part of the annual Art on Stamps issue. 9KČ and 11KČ stamps due for issue 13 November 1996
Designer: Martin Činovský Engraver: Václav Fajt
Printing: Recess from flat plates in black, blue-grey, red and yellow in sheets of 4 at 20KČ per stamp. Size of stamp 40x50mm.
Design: Endre Nemes painting Irom 1941 of a Baroque chair with symbolic anti war themes. The stamp margin bears the title of the work in Czech and artist's name with birth/death dates above the legend in Czech Museum of Modern Art Stockholm. The sheet gutter has a detail of the artist's painting 'Supervizor1 and facsimile signature.
FDC printed recess from flat plates in red/brown. Designer of cancellation and cachet is the engraver of the Swedish stamp Lars Sjóóblom. The cachet is a detail of Nemes pencil drawing of 1983 'In the Studio'. The cancellation from Praha shows two hands below the artist's name.
Endre Ncines qrow up m Slovakia, studied at the Acadainy ot Fine Art: in Prague and from 1940 until his death lived in Sweden The stamp with the same motif is issued in all three countries simultaneously in different denominations. The Slovak stamp 'S printed recess tram Hal plates but the Swedish issue is by combined recess and olfset technique > 98 Czechout 4/1996
5 October 1996 60TH BIRTHDAY OF VÁCLAV HAVEL
Designer: Jan Solpera
Engraver: Václav Fajt
Printing: Rotary recess combined with photogravure in blue and red in commemorative block of 2 x 6 Kč stamps. Block size 79x99mm. Stamp size 23x30mm.
Design: The se-tenant stamps have the President's portrait above his name and dates 1936 5.10- 1996. Below the stamps is a drawing of the President's standard and motto Pravda Vítězí (Truth Prevails) with facsimile signaure and small heart.
FDC printed recess from flat plates with cachet of Presidential standard in red and initials VH and figure 60 in blue. The cancellation in black from Praha has the initials VH.
9 October 1996 CZECH HISTORIC AIRCRAFT
Designer: Ervin Urban Engraver: Martin Srb
Printing: Rotary recess combined with multi-coloured photogravure in black, red, blue, green, ochre in sheets of 50 stamps. Stamp size 30x23mm.
Design: Three types of bi-plane from Czech production of the 1920’s.
1. 7Kč LetovS I (1920) 2. 8KČ Aero A 11 (1925) 3. 10Kč Avia BH21 (1925)
3 FDC printed recess from flat plates with commemorative black Praha cancellation. The cachet is a globe with silhouette of the aircraft above. (7KČ - brown 8KČ - brown-red 10KČ - green blue)
9 October 1996 PERSONALITIES TYCHO BRAHE
Designer: Josef Liesler Engraver: Josef Herčík
Printing: Rotary recess combined with photogravure in brown, blue, red and ochre in sheets of 50 pieces at 5KČ each. Stamp size 40x23mm.
Design: shows a bust of Tycho Brahe with contemporary astronomical apparatus, the moon, constellations and text '1546 Tycho Brahe 1601’
The stamp is issued on the 450th anniversary of the birth of this Danish astronomer who worked with Jan Kepler in Prague at the court of Rtidolf II. Brahe’s observations proved that planets orbit the sun in ellipses. He became Imperial Mathematician lo Rudolf II in 1599.
FDC printed recess Irani llal plates wilh a black Praha commemorative cancellation. The cachet in brown is of an astronomical apparatus on a background ol star constellations.
> Czechout 4/1996 99
13 November 1996 WORKS OF ART ON STAMPS (II)
E n g ra ver: 9Kč Miloš Ondráček 11Kč Václav Fajt
Printing: Recess from flat plates in sheets of 4 in black, yellow, blue, ochre, red and green Stamp size 40x50mm.
D e sig n s: 9Kč from the work of Josef Váchal (1884-1969) entitled Eden 1912 11Kč from the work of Georg Flegel (1566-1638) entitled 'Breakfast with Egg’ - Both paintings are in the National Gallery Prague.
2 FDC printed recess from flat plates
9Kč has a commemorative Praha cancel in black. The rectangular cachet in black engraved by Miloš Ondráček is a detail from a woodcut by J.Váchal for a book illustration. "Wandering of the Small E lf 1911. 11KČ has a commemorative Praha cancel in black. The cachet in brown red engraved by Václav Fajt is a detail of G.FIegel's painting from 1630 ‘Still Life with Fruit and Crayfish1.
N.B. This is the second part of 1996 Art Issue. See 5 October 1996. E. Nemes Baroque Chair.
13.11.1996 CHRISTMAS
Designer: Jaroslav Králík Engraver: Josef Herčík
Printing: Rotary recess with photogravure in yellow, blue, red and gold. Sheets of 50 stamps at 3KČ each. Stamp size 30x23mm.
Design: The Holy Family with animals. This is based on a woodcut by the carver Josef Heja from Halenkov and has been carved from one piece of wood. It forms part of a nativity scene with about forty figures. The carving of nativity scenes and figures is a Czech tradition. Each year the tableau is added to by further figures.
FDC is printed by recess from flat plates in brown with a commemorative Praha cancellation incorporating a comet. The cachet has part of the music score of the Czech Christmas Mass with drawing of a comet and star constellations above. The text '1796-1996 200 years of Jakub Ryba's Czech Christmas Mass" below the cachet is in Czech.
Jakub Jan Ryba (1765-1815) was a composer of concertos, symphonies, quartets, sonatas and organ music. He was an important link in connecting the 18th century classical composers with the 19th century Czech tradition. He used folk-music for inspiration and these melodies are notable in his Christmas Mass (Missa solemnis pastoralis) 1796.
Proposed issues of Czech stamps for 1997
20 January Tradition of Czech stamp production 1 stamp 5 Febaiary Greetings 1 stamp 12 March Easter 1 stamp 12 March Nature Conservation ■ Protected Flora 4 stamps 23 April Millenium of Death of St.Adalbert 1 stamp (Joint issue with Poland, Hungary and Germany) 30 April Europe Tales and legends (sheets x 10) 2 stamp 14 May Prague of Rudolf II (blocks) 3 stamps 28 May For Children. Children's TV characters 1 stamp 25 June Beauties of our Country: Jewish Monuments 2 stamps (in sheets of 8) 25 June Personalities: František Křižík 1 stam p 27 August European Swimming and Diving Championships 1 stam p 10 September Czech Cartoon Humour: Good Soldier Sve|k 3 stam ps 8 O ctober Historic Service Vehicles 3 stam ps 12 November Works ol Art 3 stam ps 12 November Christmas 1 stam p
> 100 Czechout 4/1996
POSTAL STATIONERY
24th July 1996. Postcards: Czech Historical Buildings
This is the 3rd issue in the series numbered A33/96 to A48/96. Each card bears a 3KČ imprinted stamp of the modified Great State Arms of the Republic. The left hand side has a coloured picture of the building and explanatory text in Czech. The designs are from Foto Studio Skala and printed by Victoria Security Printing.
This series shows buildings at Blatna, Březnice, Buchlovice, Červená Lhota, Duchov, Horšovský Týn, Jaroměíice nad Rokytnou, Litomyšl, Mělník, Námést nad Oslavou, Praha (2 designs), Brno, Šternberk, Zákupy and Zvíkov.
Each card is issued in 2 formats a) as described above, b) with commemorative cachet below building design and explanatory text. There was also a first day Praha cancellation.
The first 16 postcards in the series were issued 21/12/94 with the second series of 16 issued 22/11/95 in similar format to the above postcards. Series t had 2KČ imprinted stamp. Series 2 had 3K6 imprinted stamp
> Czechout 4/1996 101
6th November 1996 Postcard to commemorate achievements of Czech sportsmen at the Olympic Games 1996
The postcard design is by Petr Foltera and Petr JareS and printed in bi-coloured offset in light and dark blue. The 3KČ imprinted stamp shows the Czech flag above Olympic rings and linden leaves. The selling price is 3.30KČ. The left side of the card has 5 pictograms of the sports in which Czech athletes gained medals annotated below the design (Water Slalom 1 gold; 2 silver; Canoeing 2 gold; Athletics 1 gold 2 bronze; Tennis 1 silver 1 bronze and Shooting 1 bronze) all surrounded by semi-circular inscription.
SLOVAK REPUBLIC
The Ministry of Transport, Posts and Telecommunications reports the issue of the following stamps from 14 June 1996. All issues printed by Post Printing House Prague unless otherwise stated.
14th June 1996 DEFINITIVE SENICA
Designer and Engraver: František Homiak
Printing: Rotary recess (deep blue) and recess (red and yellow) in sheets of 100 at 6Sk each. Stamp size 19x23mm.
Design has the Senica town coat of arms on a decorative background. Senica is a major economic, cultural and civic centre of the Záhorie district.
FDC has a commemorative cancellation from Senica nad Myjavou with a cachet of the town seal (carmine on buff background) and black silhouette of the catholic church of 1631. Printed in offset by Kníhtlačiareň Gerthoffer Zohor.
16 July 1996 NATURE CONSERVATION PROTECTED MAMMALS
Printing: Rotary recess and recess in sheets of 50 at 4Sk each. Stamp size 23x40mm. The FDC printed recess from flat plates.
> 102 Czechout 4/1996
4Sk. European bison (Bison Bonasus) Stamp, FDC and cancellation design by Vladimir Macha|. Engravings Martin Činovský. This is the largest ot Europe's land animals and died out in the Middle Ages except for wild herds in Poland and Caucasia. A breeding station was established near Topol 'Číanky Slovakia in 1957. It is under consideration to release some animals into the wild in the Starina dam area of East Slovakia.
FCD has Topol Číanky cancellation in black incorporating a bison. The cachet is a drawing of flowers, branches and a wren.
4Sk. Mouflon (Ovis Musimon) Stamp, FDC and cancellation design by Vladimir Machaj. Stamp engraving Rudolf Cigánik from a drawing by Martin Činovský. FDC engraving Rudolf Cigánik
The mouflon or mountain sheep was introduced from Corsica to Slovakia by Count Forgách who reared them on his estate at Jelenec from 1868. Since then they have bred in the wild and there are estimated to be about 4,000 in Slovakia. About a quarter of these are hunted annually.
FDC has circular cancellation from Jelenec with drawing of a mouflon. The red brown cachet has a mouflon kid surrounded by plants.
4Sk. Tatra Chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra tatrica) Stamp. FDC and cancellation design by Vladimir Machaj. Stamp engraving by František Homiak from a drawing by Martin čivouský. FDC engraving František Horniak.
The Tatra chamois is rare - there are only about 600 living in the High and Low Tatras. It is the only large mountainous herbivore in Slovakia living in alpine and sub-alpine meadows. Its natural enemies are the lynx and rock eagle but it is susceptible to mange and blindness. Increasing tourism and ski-ing are a threat to this protected animal. FDC has circular cancellation from Tatranská homnica with drawing of a chamois. The cachet shows alpine flowers against a mountain scene.
25 September 1996 SPLENDOURS OF OUR HOMELAND
Designer of stamps and FDC cancellation Karel Felix
Engravings of stamps and FDC cachets from drawings by Martin činovský. 4Sk František Homiak. 8Sk Martin Činovský 12Sk Rudolf Cigánik.
Printing Rotary recess combined with recess in sheets of 50 stamps. Stamp size 23x40mm. FDC recess printing from flat plates.
Designs 4Sk Popradoké Pleso lake (tam) against the Ostrvy massif with the hotel built 1966. A small shield shows a typical cedar tree of the area and a fish. The FDC has a commemorative cancellation from Starý Smokovec with a mountain climber. The deep brown cachet is a drawing of the cemetery and chapel to those who have perished on the mountains - unique in the wo rid. 8Sk Skalnaté Pleso lake (tarn) below homnica peak with two edelweiss plants in foreground. This area is a centre for tourism, mountaineering and science but is suffering from man's intervention. The tam is being monitored as part of a programme of preservation of the area. FDC has a commemorative cancellation, from Tatranská homnica and drawing of the observatory at Skalnaté Pleso. The cachet in blue and pink has a bunch of gentian against a mountain scene.
12Sk Štrbské Pleso lake is the second largest on the Slovak side of the High Tatras and the area has been a tourist centre since 1782 for healthcare, sport and recreation. Nature conservation is now a priority with strictly marked paths and ski runs. FDC has a circular cancellation from Strbsk'Pleso with a skier. The cachet in black and green shows a cluster of alpine plants on rocks.
5 October 1996 ENDRE ART SERIES ENDRE HEMES BAROQUE CHAIR
Joint Slovak-Czech and Swedish issue. N.B. This is part of the annual Art on Stamps issue. 7Sk and lOSk values due for issue 13 November 1996.
Designer. Engraver, Printing and Design details as for the Czech Republic issue 5 October 1996 (see above) but texts in Slovak.
FDC The cancellation was designed by Lars Sjóóblom. The cachet is a reproduction of Hemes' drawing 'Society'.
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POSTAL STATIONERY
Postcards Commemorative
7 June 1996 75th Anniversary of the Founding ol the Slovak Teachers Choir The imprinted 2Sk stamp depicts Devin. The design using the logo of the choir is by Martin Činovský. Printing in offset in deep blue and violet by Kasico a.s. Bratislava
26 June 1996 Year of Slovak Music 1996 Design featuring a dancng figure in black and vibrations/sound waves in ochre is the work of Igor Piačka. The imprinted 2Sk stamps features Devin. The printing in offset is by Prompt a.s. Bratislava.
29 June 1996 790th Anniversary of Malacky The design features the original seal of the town above a gateway and the legend 790th anniversary of the first written reference to Malacky in Slovak and is by Zdeno Brázdil. The printing in offset is by Prompt a.s. Bratislava.
All three cards retail at 2.50Sk.
26 June 1996 Commemorative Pigeongram
This pigeon post 'Pigeongram' was issued only on this date retailing at 9Sk with an imprinted 8Sk stamp of the Slovak national emblem. The lower left corner has a pigeon motif and legend "Greetings from the participants of Kalogatia to the sportsmen and women of the Summer Olympic Games Atlanta '96. The size of the pigeongram is 14.1x5.6cm and was designed by Igor Benca. The stamp was printed monochrome recess by Post Printing House. Prague. The design in brown and black was printed offset by Kníhtlač Gerthoffer, Zohor.
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Special Envelopes
6th June 1996 135th Anniversary ol the Memorandum of the Slovak Nation.
Design: Josef Baláž. Printing - imprinted stamp using monochrome recess by Postal Stationery Printing House Prague. Design printed offset in red and blue by Kníhtlač Gerthoffer, Zohor. Retail price 9Sk. The envelope has an inscription in Slovak 'Memorandum of the Slovak Nation 6-7.6.1861“ with geometrical design in red above. The imprinted 8Sk stamp is the national emblem of the Slovak Republic. A first day of issue cancellation was used from Martin.
6 June 1996 125th Anniversary of the Foundation of the Slovak National Party.
Design: Josef Baláž. Printing - imprinted stamp using monochrome recess printing by Postal Stationery Printing House Prague. Design printed in black-green and red and offset by Kníhtlač Gerthoffer, Zohor. Retail price 9Sk.
The envelope has an inscription "The Slovak National Party - 125th Anniversary of its foundation" below national symbols and portraits of Viliami Pauliny-Tóth and Ján Francisci. The imprinted 8Sk stamp shows the national emblem of the Slovak Republic. A first day of issue cancellation was used from Martin. ,
4th July 1996 50th Anniversary of UNICEF
Design by Kamila Štanclová to commemorate the anniversary.
4th July 1996 50th Anniversary of UNESCO
Design and illustrative motif and legend in Slovak ‘50th Anniversary of UNESCO' by Karol Felix. Both issues have imprinted 8Sk stamp of the national emblem of the Slovak Republic and retail at 9Sk. These were printed by monochrome recess at Postal Stationery House Prague. The designs for both issues were printed offset by Kníhtlač Gerthoffer. Zohor.